Amplification of energetic reactions

ABSTRACT

Methods and apparatus for energy production through the amplification of energetic reactions. A method includes amplifying an energy release from a dispersion of nanoparticles containing a concentration of hydrogen/deuterium nuclei, the nanoparticles suspended in a dielectric medium in a presence of hydrogen/deuterium gas, wherein an energy input is provided by high voltage pulses between two electrodes embedded in the dispersion of nanoparticles.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.61/341,198, filed Mar. 29, 2010, and titled “Amplification of NuclearReactions in Metal Nanoparticles,” which is incorporated by reference inits entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to energy production, and moreparticularly to amplification of energetic reactions.

Conventional energy sources include fossil fuels, water power, nuclearenergy, wind power, hydrogen, solar light, and so forth. However, whenthese energy sources are used, serious problems may arise, includingexhaustion of resources, environmental destruction, inefficiency and soforth. Therefore, there are concerns over the use of these energysources for the future. On the other hand, ultrahigh temperature nuclearfusion has been proposed as a new energy source, however, its practicaluse is still distant.

Methods of utilizing electrolysis have been developed as an energysource. However, for most of them, there are doubts about thepossibility of the practical use as an energy source.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides methods and apparatus for amplificationof energetic reactions.

In general, in one aspect, the invention features a method includingamplifying an energy release from a dispersion of nanoparticlescontaining a concentration of hydrogen/deuterium nuclei, thenanoparticles suspended in a dielectric medium in a presence ofhydrogen/deuterium gas, wherein an energy input is provided by highvoltage pulses between two electrodes embedded in the dispersion ofnanoparticles.

In another aspect, the invention features a method including amplifyingan energy release from a dispersion of nanoparticles containing aconcentration of hydrogen/deuterium nuclei, the nanoparticles suspendedin water/heavy water dielectric medium, an energy input provided by highvoltage pulses between two electrodes embedded in the nanoparticlesuspension.

In another aspect, the invention features a method including amplifyingan energy release from a dispersion of nanoparticles in a 3-20 nanometer(nm) size regime containing a concentration of hydrogen/deuteriumnuclei, an energy input provided by a source of terahertz frequencyelectromagnetic energy.

In another aspect, the invention features a method including amplifyingan energy release from a dispersion of hydrated macroparticlescontaining a dispersion of nanoparticles in a 3-20 nanometer (nm) sizeregime by fluidizing the nanoparticles in a stream of gas or liquid orby simple mechanical agitation and then subjecting the fluidizedparticles to excitation by high voltage pulses, ultrasonic agitationand/or terahertz frequency range electromagnetic waves.

Other features and advantages of the invention are apparent from thefollowing description, and from the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the detaileddescription, in conjunction with the following figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary apparatus.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary diagram.

FIG. 4 is an exemplary circuit diagram.

FIG. 5 is an exemplary wave form.

FIG. 6 is an exemplary circuit diagram.

FIG. 7 is an exemplary diagram.

FIG. 8 is an exemplary diagram.

Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicatelike elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Nanoscale metal particles that dissolve hydrogen isotopes can promotenuclear reactions under near equilibrium conditions. The reaction ratesare greatly enhanced by the addition of localized energy input, whichcan include, for example, dielectric discharges, terahertzelectromagnetic radiation or ultrasonic energy beyond a specificthreshold.

Useful energy production can be obtained when deuterated/hydratednanoparticles suspended in a dielectric medium are positioned interiorto collapsing bubbles or dielectric discharges and their attendant shockwaves. Highly self-focused shock waves have a sufficiently high energydensity to induce a range of energetic reactions.

Certain nanopowders of metal or metal alloys are incipiently activesites for energy release. Adding nanoparticles to the water greatlyincreases energetic reaction rates as the nanoparticles focus ultrasonicshock wave energy onto particles that are incipiently prepared to react.The focusing of shock energy is maximized by having very small particlesinside the collapsing shock wave at millions of locations in a liquefiedreaction zone.

Ultrasonic amplification may have usefulness, but it is inferior to aredischarges through nanocomposite solids due to a process called the“inverse skin effect.” In ordinary metals, a rapid pulse of currentremains close to an outer surface in a process referred to as the “skineffect.” Typically, the electric current pulses flow on the outersurface of a conductor. Discharges through a dielectric embedded withmetallic particles behave very differently. The nanoparticles act as aseries of short circuit elements that confine the breakdown currents tovery, very small internal discharge pathways. This inverse skin effectcan have great implications for energy densification in compositematerials. Energetic reactions described fully herein are amplified byan inverse skin effect. These very small discharge pathways are sonarrow that the magnetic fields close to them are amplified tomagnitudes unachievable by other methods.

Distributing nanoparticles in a dielectric (ceramic) matrix between twohigh voltage electrodes is a method according to the principles of thepresent invention for amplifying an energy output from thehydrated/deuterated metal nanoparticles in the dielectric matrix. Highvoltage pulses cause arc formations. The arc formations focus energy andthe arc formations are channeled from one macroscopic grain to anothermacroscopic grain. Once a discharge is interior to a macroscopic grainthe pulse is further focused into nanoparticles along the lowestimpedance pathway. The arcs interior to the grains are where theenergetic reactions are maximized.

The nanoparticles provide a constellation of short circuiting elementsfor each current pulse. Each succeeding pulse finds a different pathwaythat minimizes the impedance between two electrodes. An overpressure ofhydrogen is needed to prevent discharges from sliding over a surface ofthe macroscopic grains rather than through the grains and therebythrough the hydrated nanoparticles. Low pressure hydrogen gas favorssurface discharging.

Liquid dielectrics produce similar energy focusing capabilities as theceramic matrices. Liquid systems provide a direct method for producingnanoparticles in situ. The high voltage discharges through a fluidablate electrode materials that are rapidly quenched and suspended inthe polar fluid. Once formed, the nanoparticles can behydrated/deuterated by the ionization of the water during thedischarges. As such, the high voltage pulses fill the H₂O/D₂O volumewith a constellation of suspended particles filled with interstitialhydrogen (H)/deuterium (D) atoms. The particles stay in suspension dueto Coulomb Repulsion as each particle is surrounded by polar watermolecules that attach the oxygen to the metal cluster surface and hasthe two deuterium atoms from the D₂O molecules facing out. The deuteriumatoms have a net positive charge associated with them, so each metalcluster looks like a large positive ion that repels all the other suchclusters. The nanoparticles remain equally spaced in the dielectricliquid due to this repulsion process that is very effective at smallmass/charge ratios. The suspension of the nanoparticles in the polarwater medium is referred as a colloidal suspension.

Once a sequence of high voltage pulses has formed a sufficientconcentration of deuterated nanoparticles, energy input can be useddirectly to focus discharge energy through the hydrogen/deuterium fillednanoparticles and thus initiate energetic reactions.

There are alternative methods for amplifying the energy output. The highvoltage discharge pulses can be switched over to ultrasonic cavitationas an alternative method for energy production. The frequency andamplitude of the ultrasonic pulses should be modulated to establish astanding wave pattern that enables resonant amplification of the shockwaves in a reaction zone.

Methods and apparatus of the present invention are not limited todeuterium with heavy water loading as hydrogen loading can produce asmuch excess energy. Hydrogen can be substituted with deuterium and waterwith heavy water in all aspects of the present disclosure.

Hydrated/deuterated nanoparticles are an important feature of thepresent invention. Hydrated/deuterated nanoparticles are prone toenergetic reactions when processed into a narrow size regime.Hydrated/deuterated nanoparticles processed between 3 and 20 nanometers(nm), and preferably between 3 and 12 nm are optimal for amplifyingenergy output. Hydrated/deuterated nanoparticles larger thanapproximately 20 nm do not provide the anharmonic oscillations of thenanolattice metal atoms needed to drive the anharmonic oscillations ofthe dissolved deuterons to amplitudes sufficient to initiateinteractions at a sub atomic level.

Having nano particles in size range of 3 to 20 nm exhibits a feedbackmechanism that favors large amplitude, low frequency vibrational modesof the metal matrix nuclei; this nanoscale phenomenon is generallyreferred to as Energy Localization.

For the purposes of the present invention, energy localization meansthat the metal nanoparticle nuclei will acquire vibrational energy fromthe environment and ‘up-pump it’ to increase the amplitude of theanharmonic modes of the nanoparticle nuclei. This process in turn,further amplifies the oscillations of the dissolved hydrogen nucleiwithin each nanoparticle, which in turn enhances the rate of energeticreactions in and on the nanoparticles.

As shown in FIG. 1, an exemplary apparatus 10 includes a cylinder 12containing a solution of water and nanoparticles 2. Exemplarynanoparticles 14 can include metals such as tantalum, silver, palladium,titanium, nickel, thorium, zirconium and cobalt. The hydrated/deuteratednanoparticles 14 can be of a dimension between 3-20 nanometers (nm) andsuspended in macroscopic particles of a dielectric composition. Thenanoparticles 14 can be alloys of tantalum, silver, palladium, titanium,nickel, thorium, zirconium or cobalt. The nanoparticles 14 can contain aspillover catalyst including of one or more of the elements thorium,cerium, palladium and zirconium. The nanoparticles 14 can be embedded ina zirconium oxide dielectric matrix, a titanium dioxide matrix or athorium oxide matrix. The nanoparticles 14 can include a promoterelement as a spillover catalyst including one or more of cerium,thorium, selenium and zirconium.

The cylinder 12 includes an electrode system 16 for causing arc ablationof a wall of the cylinder 12. Ablated particles sequentially increase innumber with every current pulse from a power supply 18. The pulses causeionization of the water thus producing hydrogen ions that areincorporated into the metal nanoparticles created by the ablation.

High voltage pulses pass through an insulating fitting 20 and arc fromelectrode points 22 to the grounded wall of cylinder 12. Aftersufficient nanoparticle formation and filling has occurred, the pulsesfrom the power supply 18 can be turned off and the energy input can besupplied by an ultrasonic transducer 24 mounted in the liquid water andpowered by a power supply 26.

A cooling water coil 28 is wound helically around the outside of thecylinder 12. A circulating flow system 32 that extracts the heat from anultrasonic zone 30 sends the heated water through the circulating flowsystem 32 before sending nanoparticles immersed in the water back aroundfor a second pass.

Flow rates and energy input can be controlled with a feedback circuit 34in the power supply 26 to produce a specified amount of heat at apredetermined water flow rate in the secondary circuit.

A central high voltage electrode 22 is immersed in heavy water or awater solution. The points of the electrode 22 are energized by highvoltage pulses in a 150-15,000 volt range. Each pulse contains between50-500 millijoules of energy. The electrodes 22 are controllably spaceda distance apart in order to insure breakdown of the fluid gap betweenthe electrodes.

High voltage pulses from supply 26 cause ablation of the interior wallof cylinder 12 and metal melted off the surface cools in the water toform a distribution of suspended metallic nanoparticles. A peak voltage,energy content and pulse width all contribute to the dimensions of theablated particles. Those parameters are preferably adjusted to maximizethe number of particles forming in the 3-20 nm size range and morepreferably in the 3-12 nm range. After thousands of such pulses, theultrasonic zone 30 becomes colored with a color depending upon theelectrode material and nanoparticle dimensions.

The ultrasonic transducer 24 is shown mounted at the left end of thecylinder 12 and in the solution 14 for clarity purposes. The sound wavesfrom the ultrasonic transducer 24 should be of sufficient intensity toinduce cavitation (i.e., bubble formation) within the solution 2. Thebubbles ultimately collapse and focus their pressure waves to very smallvolumes. If this small volume encompasses deuterated nanoparticles, thenthe particles will be densified and the already close deuterium nucleiwill come into sufficient proximity to induce energetic reactions.

The apparatus 10 may be used for extracting thermal energy from thereaction zone and sending it to a secondary heat transfer system. Inletand outlet tubes 36 send the heated dispersion through the heatexchanger 32 where the thermal energy is transferred to an isolatedfluid 40, 42 where it can be distributed to other energy conversionequipment. That equipment can be, for example, a boiler/generator systemfor producing electricity. Alternatively, apparatus 10 may be used todistribute live steam for heating and cooling purposes.

Apparatus 10 is not limited to uses described above and is can be usefulfor many energy conversion systems. For example, since the energy arisesin part from large amplitude vibrational modes in the nanoclusters ofmetal, then another process for amplifying the oscillations can beachieve with two laser beams. Electromagnetic energy at two separatefrequencies, A and B, result in a third frequency that results from amathematical subtraction of A from B. This can result in anelectromagnetic wave whose frequency matches the frequency of theanharmonic oscillations in the low terahertz frequency range.

Input of terahertz frequency electromagnetic waves can lead to aresonant amplification of the anharmonic modes and directly increase theenergetic reaction rates.

Apparatus 10 is not limited to nanoparticles suspended in water. Anymedium that can maintain particles in this narrow size regime may beuseful for energy production and amplifications thereof. For example,the zirconium oxide matrix containing metallic nanopowders can be placedinto a fluidized bed that is agitated by flow of gases or liquidscontaining deuterium/hydrogen and subjected to high voltage pulses,ultrasonic waves and/or electromagnetic waves to amplify the energyoutput.

The suspension medium can be any material that preserves the particleintegrity against agglomeration into particles whose dimensions exceed20 nm. Ceramic materials with a high dielectric coefficient may be usedas a matrix because hydrogen ions can achieve a very high density at themetal/ceramic interface.

Employing water/heavy water for energy production has inherentlimitations. Water can only maintain a liquid state up to 363° C., abovewhich it is a supercritical fluid with no liquid properties. Therefore,cavitation of bubbles is impossible above this temperature. Thistemperature limitation places an upper bound on a boiler system forefficient electricity production. Therefore, a gas based system ispreferred over the liquid based system.

Arata-like particles have a dielectric coating surrounding adistribution of metal nanoparticles. Surrounding these macroscopicparticles in hydrogen/deuterium gas at elevated pressure allows fordielectric discharges to be self-focused into the interior of eachmacroscopic particle containing millions of hydrated metalnanoparticles.

The pressure of hydrogen gas should be kept above a minimum pressure toprevent discharges through the gas phase rather than through thenanoparticles. Therefore hydrogen gas pressure above two atmospheres isrecommended.

The separation between the electrodes should be adjusted to match thehigh voltage input. Higher voltages are required for larger electrodespacing. It is important to match the spacing with a power supplyoperating between 150-15,000 volts. Such a supply with peak voltagepulses of 14,000 volts operating at 7-15 watts is described herein.

As shown in FIG. 2, an exemplary apparatus 50 includes a cylinder 52.Here, the local electric field intensity is the most important aspectfor conducting a dielectric discharge. Sharp electrodes points 54 withclose spacing to a wall of the cylinder 52 magnify the local electricfield intensity such that the discharge 56 can occur with as little as150 volts applied. At room temperature and one centimeter spacingbetween electrodes 54 no breakdown occurs up to 300 volts DC. However,breakdown occurs at this spacing with 14,000 volt pulses.

Nickel nanopowders filling region 58 is composed of a distribution ofnanoscale metal islands embedded in a dielectric matrix. The nanopowderis placed inside the cylinder 52 containing a central electrode with adistribution of electrodes points 54 facing radially. Hydrogen gas isintroduced into the cylinder 52 through pipe 60 at elevated pressure(e.g., >2 atm). This gas serves two purposes. First, the gas providesthe fuel for the energetic reactions. Second, the gas provides adischarge pathway between particles to confine the discharge to narrowcrossection.

The discharges between electrodes 54 and the wall of the cylinder 52must travel through the hydrated nanocomposite material. This causesenergetic reactions and a build up of thermal energy. This energy can betransferred away from the cylinder by water flowing through tubing 62wrapped around the cylinder 52 and in good thermal contact. The heatedwater can be diverted to a secondary heat exchanger 64.

A pulsed power supply 66 can be modulated in pulse voltage and frequencyto match the dynamic response of the system. Resonant conditions areanticipated and an optimal operating point can be found by matching theinput energy to the natural frequency of the system.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary diagram showing discharges traversing a gap froma first electrode 100 to a second electrode 102 to micro-grain 104. Atypical micro grain, such as micro-grain 104, is approximately 15microns in cross-section and contains about 1,000,000 nanoparticleislands. The discharges within each micro-grain is self-focused down tothe dimensions of a nanoparticle island 106 embedded in a dielectricmatrix 108. The embedded nanonickel islands provide short circuitingroutes 110 that focus the energy of the discharge to extremely highelectric and magnetic field intensities and accompanying energydensities and thereby providing conditions for energetic reactions tooccur. The discharges from micro-grain to micro-grain 112 in thedielectric matrix 108 require high over pressures of hydrogen gas toprevent sliding arcs along an outer surface of the micro-grains. Energyamplification can only occur by confining the discharge currentsinterior to the macro-grains.

An inverse skin effect causes all the discharge energy along routes,such as route 110, to achieve current densities in excess of 10¹²Amps/cm².

FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 detail a power supply and its wave forms that aresuitable for dielectric discharges in a nanoparticle environment.

FIG. 4 shows an exemplary circuit diagram for converting 12 volts of DCinput into a half wave rectified voltage output at 50 volts.

FIG. 5 depicts an exemplary wave form leaving the oscillator circuit.

A rectified wave is fed into the pulser circuit shown in FIG. 8.Rectified waves are thereby formed into abrupt pulses as shown in FIG.7. A duty cycle of the pulse output can be varied by adjusting resistor,R10 from FIG. 8.

These abrupt pulses are fed into an exemplary Cockcroft-Walton voltageamplifier circuit shown in FIG. 6. The voltage is amplified sequentiallythrough the network of diodes and capacitors to increase the pulsevoltage from 50 volts up to 15,000 volts. Higher voltage can be achievedwith added diodes and capacitors to the amplifier.

FIGS. 4, 6 and 8 show the three partial exemplary circuits that combineto produce a source of high voltage pulses of negative polarity. It isrecognized that this particular device is not the only way to achieve ahigh voltage pulsed power source. It is simply one method that has beenthoroughly tested to provide over 120 microamperes of negative ioncurrent in air at one atmosphere.

This device has a needle electrode that is spaced far from the groundelectrode, because it is designed to ionize gases such as hydrogen.However, the same power supply can serve to produce dielectricdischarges in a nanopowder matrix.

The circuit employs three ten megOhm resistors between the C-W amplifierand the needle for safety reasons. This limits the 14 kV pulses to 100micro Amperes. Lethal discharges may result without these threeresistors.

The opposite polarity ions can be achieved by reversing the sign of thevoltage pulses. This is the result of reversing the direction of thediodes in the Cockcroft-Walton amplifier circuit. Positive ions are notrecommended for this application, but they have use in other chemicalreactions such as thin film growth in systems like Chemical VaporDeposition (CVD).

A 1 k Ohm resistor (R5) is connected in series to the battery ground(negative terminal) and it is also connected to a metallic groundingharness in the device handle. This allows the operator to remain at thefloating potential of the battery ground. Without this grounding strapthe operator will sustain shocking discharges.

The foregoing description does not represent an exhaustive list of allpossible implementations consistent with this disclosure or of allpossible variations of the implementations described. A number ofimplementations have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understoodthat various modifications may be made without departing from the spiritand scope of the systems, devices, methods and techniques describedhere. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of thefollowing claims.

1. A method comprising: amplifying an energy release from a dispersionof nanoparticles containing a concentration of hydrogen/deuteriumnuclei, the nanoparticles suspended in a dielectric medium in a presenceof hydrogen/deuterium gas, wherein an energy input is provided by highvoltage pulses between two electrodes embedded in the dispersion ofnanoparticles.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the hydrated/deuteratednanoparticles are of a dimension between 3-20 nanometers (nm) andsuspended in macroscopic particles of a dielectric composition.
 3. Themethod of claim 1 wherein the nanoparticles are selected from the groupconsisting of composed of tantalum, silver, palladium, titanium, nickel,thorium zirconium and cobalt.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein thenanoparticles are alloys of tantalum, silver, palladium, titanium,nickel, thorium zirconium or cobalt.
 5. The method of claim 1 whereinthe nanoparticles contain a spillover catalyst comprised of one or moreof the elements thorium, cerium, palladium and zirconium.
 6. The methodof claim 1 wherein the nanoparticles are embedded in a zirconium oxidedielectric matrix.
 7. The method of claim 1 wherein the nanoparticlesare embedded in a titanium dioxide matrix.
 8. The method of claim 1wherein the nanoparticles are embedded in a thorium oxide matrix.
 9. Themethod of claim 1 where the dispersion containing hydrated nanoparticleswithin a reaction chamber contain hydrogen gas at a pressure exceeding 2atmospheres.
 10. The method of claim 5 wherein the nanoparticles includea promoter element for the spillover catalyst comprising one or more ofcerium, thorium, selenium and zirconium.
 11. The method of claim 1wherein the high voltage pulses are between 150-15,000 volts.
 12. Amethod comprising: amplifying an energy release from a dispersion ofnanoparticles containing a concentration of hydrogen/deuterium nuclei,the nanoparticles suspended in water/heavy water dielectric medium, anenergy input provided by high voltage pulses between two electrodesembedded in the nanoparticle suspension.
 13. A composition of mattercomprising: isolated metal particles in a 3-20 nanometer (nm) sizeregime containing dissolved hydrogen/deuterium nuclei and isolated by adielectric medium.
 14. A composition of matter comprising: isolatedmetal alloys in a 3-20 nanometer (nm) size regime containing deuteriumnuclei, the alloys including mixtures of palladium and nickel, titaniumand palladium, nickel and cobalt, and nickel and iron and nickel andthorium.
 15. A method comprising: amplifying an energy release from adispersion of nanoparticles in a 3-20 nanometer (nm) size regimecontaining a concentration of hydrogen/deuterium nuclei, an energy inputprovided by a source of terahertz frequency electromagnetic energy. 16.The method of claim 15 wherein a terahertz frequency range is between1-40 terahertz.
 17. A method comprising: amplifying an energy releasefrom a dispersion of hydrated macroparticles containing a dispersion ofnanoparticles in a 3-20 nanometer (nm) size regime by fluidizing thenanoparticles in a stream of gas or liquid or by simple mechanicalagitation and then subjecting the fluidized particles to excitation byhigh voltage pulses, ultrasonic agitation and/or terahertz frequencyrange electromagnetic waves.
 18. The method of claim 17 where afluidizing gas is hydrogen with a pressure greater than 2 atmospheres.